The Hindu : Front Page : A wide range of issues on the agenda

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Saturday, Oct 04, 2008
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Front Page

A wide range of issues on the agenda

Sandeep Dikshit

Both sides working hard to prepare grounds for signing of nuclear agreement: Mulford

NEW DELHI: United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who is scheduled to arrive here on Saturday, will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Mukherjee, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani and other leaders. Both sides will hold delegation level talks in the afternoon and Ms. Rice will interact with Dr. Singh in the evening after which he will host a dinner for her at his official residence.

With Dr. Singh and Mr. Mukherjee, she will discuss a wide range of issues, including the civil nuclear cooperation initiative, trade, counter-terrorism, human rights, religious freedom and education.

Although originally stated to be a “farewell tour,” fixed when the nuclear agreement hung in the balance, both sides are working overtime to include in her itinerary the signing of the U.S.-India Agreement for Cooperation Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (123 Agreement), termed as the Bush administration’s “only non-proliferation feat.”

U.S. Ambassador David Mulford said both sides were working hard to prepare the grounds for “an agreement” to be signed during her visit.

Before leaving for her tour, Ms. Rice spoke on the implications of the Agreement, arguing that it would strengthen ties with India, provide economic and job opportunities to the U.S. economy and enhance America’s non-proliferation efforts.

At a reception hosted by the State Department in Washington to thank all those who had facilitated the passing of the Agreement in the Congress, she said, “the Agreement reflects a common commitment to share both the benefits of the international system and also the burdens and responsibilities of maintaining, strengthening and defending it. I look forward to a new strategic partnership with India that will provide global leadership in the years ahead.”

Left opposition

The Left parties will oppose the move to sign the 123 Agreement in her presence. They have given a call for a ‘Black Day’ and asked the Manmohan Singh government not to “surrender” to the U.S.

Minister of State for Industry Ashwani Kumar said the signing of the Agreement with the U.S. and other countries such as France and Russia would generate 20,000 MW of additional power by 2020 and help India meet its obligations regarding the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It would also facilitate faster industrialisation and employment generation throughout the country.

“It is indeed a pity that even this accomplishment is being negatively politicised by the opponents of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). Contrary to the misinformation campaign launched by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left, the primacy of the 123 Agreement, which recognises India’s sovereign right to test a nuclear device, has been maintained,” he added.

Ms. Rice will leave on Sunday for Kazakhstan, where she will meet its President Nursultan Nazarbayev and other government leaders. The largest Central Asian country rich in oil, gas and uranium reserves, Kazakhstan shares long borders with Russia and China, maritime domain with Iran and is not too far from Afghanistan. Against this geo-political backdrop, both sides are expected to discuss security and energy cooperation.

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